The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-06-01
Tie Man In The Well.

1t was one of those dark, dismal,
murky days of February which followed
the breaking up of a cold spell OF
weather
1t did not free c, but it was cold: as
chilly, wet, and disagrecable as one can
lo,sibly conceive day to bc. Every
body who could, shut the door and sat
down by the fire, shivering, "Oh, how
disagreesble it is!'
There was q man building foundry
in our village, and to supply his engine
with water he was havinga a well dug be-
side his furnace, which was heavy pile
of stone-work. The men engaged in
digging it held consultation whether
they should continue their work. The
elder of the two said. "No, the earth. Is
too full of water, the pressure of the
stone too great; it will cave in" and he
refused to enter. But the other laughed
at his fears, descended and beg his
work. But the burdened earth gave
way, and he was buried many feet be-
meath m avalanche of sand and gravel.
Wild went the cry over the village.
y ''EiSher's we'll has caved in and buried
Custar beneathr'
The storm-was forgotten. The mer-
chant dropped his yard stick; the farm
er left his wagon in the street; the law
yer threw down his book, the mechanic
his tools, the minister his pen. AL
rushed with throbbing hearts tc the
rescue. Women caught up their infants
and ran amid the storm to sympathihe
with the frantic wife; and all looked
into each others faces and asked IN
gasping whispers, "What can we do?'
Ropes, ladders, spades, and shovels were
wanted. No one stopped to ask.
.'Whosc is this" No one said, "That
is mine" but the cry was, "Take it.
take it! make haste he will die"
Down they leaped into the dark abyss.
None said, otis not my business" but
all were so eager that the police had to
form a circle to keep off the crowd.
Then there was the stone-work; it was
pressing heavily. "Tear it away" " cried
Fisher; ''save him" and with giant
strength. aided by the other men, he
hurled the huge rocks from their places.
st will cost him great DEAL" SAID one
p,ore prudent than the rest. 'Don't
talk of cost; we'll all give him some
thing and help to rebuild. ssys him!
save MIN don't let him die for q few
dollars expense" They worked like
giants, till the big sweat drops rolled
from manly brows, and strong hands
trembled with fatigue; then others took
their places, and thus the work went on.
A tin tube was forced down, through
which they shouted and asked the pris-
oner, if alive. to answer; aud his voice
came back to them from his grave
Alive, but make haste; it is fearful
here" He was alive, and with wild
Joyous shout, they rcdoubled their zeal
to save him. No one said, "lIe went in
himself-let him die" no one badc the
pleading weeping wife "mind her own
business; they had nothing to do with
her perishiug fool of husband: let him
die" No one urged the matter as to the
legal liability of taking this mans spade,
that mans ladder, and the other mans
boards, or the penalty attached to de-
stroying the masonry and spelling the
works.
No. no; there was O man to be saved,
all else was forgotten, and in the full
tide of human sympathy they riskcd
themselves to save him. And he was
saved.
'He is saved. he is savedw went W
with shout of 10Y TINT seemed to reud
the skies. He is saved" WAS echoed
from every street and alley. "He i:
saved! |" cried the young wife, as with
strea ing eyes she ciasped her infant t.
her breast. and thought of his relieved
wife and little ones. "He is saved
blessed be Cod" murmured the aged
mother, and the image of her own sor
fitted before her. "EIe is saved =
burst forth as from one voice from tht
whole village.
And yet, this was but one man, day
laborer. Had he died his wife woult
have shed tears Of sorrow, but not o
shame. His children would havc beei
fatherless, but no dark stain would have
sullied their lives.
Omen, o women, how strangely in
consistent we are. There arc hundred
dying this very day in our Christian
land; tens of thousands are bcint
crushed beneath weight more terrible
=. than the earth in the well. Frantic
wives are pleading. frantic mothers ar
imploring, "Save them! save them"
Even the weakest man is stronE
enough to enforce his convictions.
IGoethe.